So Cold
by EvilPerson901
Summary: My version of what happened after Snape's Worst Memory. Rating for language and mild violence. Teeny HBP spoiler. Please R&R .


Right-o, I was working on my school work this morning when I was struck with inspiration for a ficcle. I don't know how long it's going to be, but I'm gonna say around two to three shots. It's basically about what happened after Snape's Worst Memory, but I may keep writing about the Marauders.

Disclaimer: Any character you recognize from the HP series belong to JKR. Jacqueline and the plot belong to me. I'm not making a profit off of this. The story title is a Breaking Benjamin song that belongs to them. I'm simply borrowing it. The beginning part that's in italics is from page 649 of the American OotP.

**So Cold**

Part One

_There was another flash of light, and Snape was once again hanging upside down in the air._

"_Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's pants?"_

"JAMES POTTER! PUT HIM DOWN THIS INSTANT!" A tall blonde girl was stalking across the grounds towards them. Her eyes were narrowed dangerously.

Sirius rubbed the back of his neck and James quickly jerked his wand upward, causing Snape to once again fall to the ground. No one moved.

The girl stopped in front of James and slapped him brutally across the face. "What is _wrong_ with you?" She hissed.

James stared at her apprehensively while he rubbed his cheek. "Nothing was wrong…We were simply having a bit of fun, Jacqueline. Nothing bad…"

"Nothing bad?" She shrieked. "Nothing bad? You call hanging someone upside down in front of half of the bloody school nothing bad? He didn't even do anything to you!"

Snape rose to his feet, glaring at Jacqueline. "I don't need your help."

"Really?" She replied coolly. "Funny, it certainly looked like you did. Don't expect me to defend you anymore, Severus. You can be just as bad as they are. If you lot want to continue your little tea party, by all means go right ahead. Nobody seems to care that they're acting like little pricks at the moment." She turned on her heel and began walking across the field. She had hardly gone ten feet before she heard, "_SECTUMSEMPRA!_"

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DID YOU JUST DO TO HIM, SNAPE?" Sirius had dropped to the ground next to James. Blood was pouring out of a wound on his face and chest. James was shaking violently. Remus had finally looked up from his book and was now sprinting over to his friend.

Jacqueline turned slowly, fearing what she was about to see. She glanced darkly at Severus before running over to James. "Get Madame Pomphrey, quickly." She said softly to Sirius who looked at her wildly. "Now, Padfoot!" He swallowed and raced across the grounds to the castle.

"What happened to him, Jack?" Peter's face was white.

"I'll explain later…Right now we just need to worry about James…He's losing a lot of blood." She bit her lip as she looked over her shoulder. Sirius, Madame Pomphrey, and Professor Dumbledore were walking towards them. The adult's faces were grave, while Sirius's face was etched with fear.

Madame Pomphrey paled at the site of James and quickly conjured a stretcher. She magicked him onto it and headed back to the castle, leaving the remaining marauders and Jacqueline with Dumbledore.

"Would someone care to explain what happened here?" Dumbledore's normally twinkling blue eyes held no amusement. His face now looked somewhat stony.

"We…We had hexed Snape…James and I, I mean. Peter, Remus, and Jack didn't have anything to do with it…" Sirius was shaking uncontrollably. He was staring blankly at the blood stained grass as he continued. "Jacqueline came over and slapped James for being a prick. Then…Snape said a curse and…Merlin…Blood just came pouring out of James. Is he going to be alright, sir?"

Dumbledore sighed and began walking toward the castle, motioning for them to follow him. "I don't know Sirius. Neither Madame Pomphrey nor I are familiar with that curse."

"Shouldn't she just be able to close the wound, Professor?" Remus looked intently at Dumbledore.

"Let us hope that it is that easy, Remus."

Jacqueline sat against the wall outside of the hospital wing, leaning heavily against Remus. Peter and Sirius sat across from them. No one spoke for a long time.

"When will they let us see him?" Peter squeaked anxiously.

Remus shrugged. "I don't know. Dumbledore wanted us to go back to the common room, but I for one don't want to go back without knowing whether or not James will be ok."

"Same here." Sirius muttered.

Jacqueline giggled. "You know, we're probably over reacting. James is going to wake up and be perfectly fine. Then he's probably going to laugh at us because of how freaked out we got."

"But what if he isn't, Jack?" Sirius said darkly. "What if the curse that bas.tard Snape used was fatal? What if James dies?"

"Stop it!" Remus shouted as he stood up suddenly. "Just shut up, Sirius! Don't you dare talk like that. Dumbledore wouldn't let James die. You know just as well as I do that Dumbledore will do everything in his power to save him. James can't die…" He faced the wall and rested his forehead against it, letting the cool stone calm him.

Jacqueline stared up at her cousin. "Rem, relax. Everything's going to be alright. Nothing's going to happen to James."

The door to the hospital wing opened and Dumbledore walked out. He looked at each of them in turn. "James will be fine. He'll have to stay in the hospital wing for a about a week, though. If you'd like to go in and see him, he's awake."

Sirius, Peter, and Jacqueline jumped up. Remus led the way to James's bed.

James smiled tiredly at his friends. "'lo you lot. I do hope I didn't worry you too much. Really though, do you think a little spell like that could do me in?"

Sirius sank into the chair by the bed. "You scared the Hell out of us, Prongsy. We thought…" His voice trailed off as he looked away. James saw the tear that leaked out of Sirius's eye, but didn't say anything about it.

"James, you alright, love?" Jacqueline sat on the foot of his bed and rested her hand on his knee.

He flashed her a toothy grin. "Course I am! Snivellus will have to do better than that if he wants me dead."

Remus and Peter pulled up chairs and sat down. Peter laughed nervously. "You're right, Prongs. Snape wouldn't be able to kill you."

Remus glanced dryly at Peter before speaking. "Let's just not talk about it, alright? James is fine, which is all that matters."

James pretended to wipe a tear out of his eye as he fought back a grin. "You lot are the best…I feel quite loved."


End file.
